Toy parking garage



July 29, 1969 R. GENIN 3,457,668

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A Ivor/v5 United States Patent US. Cl. 46-12 0 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy parking garage in which vehicles to be parked are carried by an elevator cab to any compartment in an array thereof defined by an erect honeycomb structure, the movement of the cab being controlled in up-down, left-right and oblique directions by two carrier rods, one extending horizontally through the cab, the other vertically, the one rod being shiftable in the up-down direction in a plane parallel to the erect honeycomb, and the other in the left-right direction in an adjacent plane also parallel to the honeycomb, whereby the cab is caused to occupy a position determined by the point of intersection of the rods, which point may be caused to shift diagonally when both rods are in motion.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 662,502, filed Aug. 22, 1967, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to mechanical toys, and more particularly to a toy parking garage in which vehicles to be parked are lifted to a selected compartment in an erect honeycomb structure, the movement of the elevator cab being controllable by the player in the updown and in the left-right directions, whereby when these movements are made concurrent, the cab is caused to travel diagonally.

Children are usually fascinated by automobiles and other vehicles, for while the private car is the most widely used form of transportation, it is invariably under the control of parents or adults. Because the child's role is necessarily passive, he often seeks to perform in play that which is denied him in practice. To a great extent this fact accounts for the popularity of toy vehicles. A child also realizes the importance of parking, for in accompanying his parents to the city, he is likely to share their frustration in finding a parking space. Here too the child can only act out in play, experiences encountered when seeking a parking facility.

Thus most children are aware of the acute shortage of parking facilities in crowded cities. They know also about some of the solutions which have been developed to maximize the number of vehicles which can be garaged in a limited area. Obviously the use of a lot for parking is wasteful of space, for in a lot, cars are parked at ground level only, no use being made of vertical space. Children know about multi-level garages in which access to the various levels is had by Way of ramps. One difficulty with this arrangement is that the driver cannot simply leave his car at the entrance, but must ride up the ramp until he finds a level with a vacancy. Thus the design of multilevel garages must allow for passageways to permit drivers to enter and leave the parking areas. Under these circumstances, a large portion of the garage space must be given over to access routes.

In recent years, automatic parking garages have been developed in which the car is lifted by an elevator to an available space, thereby avoiding the need for ramps. Such garages are of particular interest to the child, who

Patented July 29, 1969 ice is intrigued by the movement of the elevator in its search for an available parking space.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a toy parking garage of unusual design whose operation is entirely under the control of the player, the controls permitting the child to move a car into or out of the garage and mechanically to shift the car into and out of a parking space.

A significant feature of the invention is that the operation of the controls requires some degree of skill, for the direction taken by the car lift is the vector resultant of two distinct movements. Thus the child in the course of play, acquires knowledge of rectangular coordinates and of the interaction of directional forces. The invention, therefore, is not only entertaining but has significant edu cational value. It also permits him to exercise judgment when loading the various car compartments in the garage.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a toy parking garage in which an elevator cab is adapted to transport a car to and from an arry of cells or compartments defined by an erect honeycomb structure, the movement of the cab being under the coordinated control of separate up-down and left-right cell-scanning means, whereby the cab may be caused to take either of these directions or to travel in a diagonal path for more rapid loading and unloading operations.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the above-described type wherein the cab includes a control stick mechanism adapted in one operating position to discharge a car from the open-ended cab into a cell in registration therewith, in another operating position to discharge a car from said cell into the cab, and in still another operating position to discharge the car from the cab into the street.

Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a toy garage constituted by an erect honeycomb structure having an array of identical box-like open cells each of which includes a floor pivotally supported at the front end, the floor having a downwardly-extending front apron which when deflected, causes the floor to swing upwardly to discharge a car from the cell. Operating in conjunction with this vertical honeycomb structure is an open-ended cab which is supported by two carrier rods, the first of which extends horizontally therethrough, and the second of which extends vertically therethrough.

A first switch-operated motor is arranged through a cable linkage to shift the first carrier rod in the up-down direction in a plane parallel to the structure, while a second switch-operated motor is arranged through another cable linkage to shift the second rod sideways, that is, from left to right, in an adjacent plane also parallel to the honyecomb structure. Thus the orientation of the cab is determined by the point of intersection of the two rods, this point shifting in the up or down direction when the first motor alone is operated, and shifting to the left or to the right when the second motor alone is operated, and shifting diagonally when both motors are concurrently active.

By manipulating the up-down and left-right motor switches, the player is able to find a free cell for storing a vehicle borne by the cab. When a free cell is found and the cab is in registration therewith, the car is transferred from the cab to the cell by means of a control stick mechanism which when in one operative position, causes the floor of the cab to tilt at an angle which delivers the car into the cell. If the car is to be withdrawn from the cell, the control stick is pressed to a second operating position which causes an actuator tongue to extend from below the floor of the cab and to engage the apron of the cell floor to swing this floor and to cause the car thereon to transfer to the cab. When the cab is at the entrance of the garage, the control stick mechanism may be shifted to a third 3 position to discharge the car from the cab down a ramp and into the street.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one preferred embodiment of a toy parking garage in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 separately shows, in perspective, the elevator system of the garage;

FIG. 3, in perspective, shows the control stick mechanism in the elevator cab;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken through the cab and honeycomb structure of the parking garage;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cab with the floor thereof removed;

FIG. 6 is the same as FIG. 4, except that the control stick is shown in an operative position to effect transfer of a vehicle from the cab to the cell and in another operative position, indicated by dashed lines, to effect transfer from cab to street;

FIG. 7 is the same as FIG. 6, except that the control stick is in still another operative position to effect transfer from the cell to the cab;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a toy parking garage in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates separately the elevator system of the garage;

FIG. 10 shows in perspective the control stick mechanism in the elevator cab; and

FIG. 11 is a section taken through the cab.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the toy parking garage in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, is constituted by a large rectangular casing 10 having an inner shell within which is disposed an erect honeycomb structure, generally designated by numeral 11. The structure is formed by an array of like cells or compartments 11A, 11B, etc., which are dimensioned to accommodate toy vehicles, such as an automobile 12. Operating in conjunction with honeycomb structure 11 is an elevator including an openedended cab 13, for transporting vehicles to and from the cells. Vehicles are discharged from the cab at the entrance of the garage to the street down a ramp 14 which is aligned with the front of the cab. In practice, the entire garage structure may be fabricated of high strength plastic material, and suitably decorated to provide a brick-like exterior or other attractive effect.

As best seen in FIG. 2, cab 13 is supported in part by a first carried rod R which extends horizontally through cab 13, the end portions of this rod passing through elongated vertical slots 15 and 16 in the vertical inner walls of casing 10. Also supporting cab 13 is a second carrier rod R which extends vertically through the cab, the end portions of this rod passing through elongated horizontal slots 17 and 18 in the inner base and ceiling walls of the casing. Rod R is therefore free to move in the up-anddown direction, within the limits imposed by slots 15 and 16, in a vertical plane which is parallel to the erect honeycomb structure, whereas rod R perpendicular thereto is free to move in the left-right direction within the limits imposed by slots 17 and 18, in an adjacent vertical plane also parallel to the honeycomb structure.

It will be evident that the orientation of the cab is determined by the point of intersection of the two rods, which pass within the cab at the lower left center thereof, the location of this point being a functtion of the rod positions within their respective planes.

The position of rod R is shifted by means of a continuous cable 19 which is wound about a sheave 20 keyed to the output shaft 21 of a battery-operated motor 22,

controlled by an up-down switch 23. The position of rod R is shifted by means of a continuous cable 24 wound about a sheave 25 keyed to the output shaft 26 of a battery-operated motor 27, controlled by a left-right switch 28. The motor preferably include a gear train to reduce the shaft speed to a relatively slow rate for operating the cables, and also a clutch mechanism to disengage the motor from the gear train when the cab is at an extremit of its travel path.

Cable19, going upwardly from sheave 20 is connected to one end of rod R at point R the cable then going arounda pulley 29 freely mounted in the upper left side of the casing, the cable coming down from pulley 29 to go under a pulley 30 from which the cable passes to a pulley 31 freely mounted on motorshaft 26. Cable 19 from pulley 31 then goes up to connect at point R with the other end of rod R from which point it continues upwardly to a pulley 32 mounted at the upper right side of the casing. From pulley 32, cable 19 goes down to a pulley 33 freely mounted on motor shaft 26 and from there back to sheave 20 to complete the cable loop. A spring 34 interposed in cable 19 maintains it under suitable tension.

Cable 24, going left from sheave 25, connects at point R to the lower end of rod R and continues from there to a pulley 35 on motor shaft 21 at the lower left side of the casing, the cable returning to the right from pulley 35 to a pulley 36 on shaft 26 at the lower right side. From pulley 36, cable 24 goes upwardly via a tension spring 37 to pulley 38 at the upper right side of the casing, and from there it goes left to connect at point R with the upper end of rod R From this point, cable 24 continues to pulley 39 at the upper left side of the casing. From pulley 39, the cable goes to the right over pulley 40 at the upper right side and finally back to sheave 25 to complete this loop.

Up-down switch 23 is a double-pole device electrically arranged so that when it is in the up position, rod R is caused to elevate cab 13, thereby scanning the cells in the vertical direction. There are several vertical rows of cells, the row scanned depending on where the cab is in the left-right position as determined by rod R When updown switch 23 is in the down position, the cab 13 is caused to descend to scan the cells in the downward direction.

Left-right switch 28 is arranged so that when it is in the left position, rod R shifts the cab from right to left, and when it is in the right position, rod R shifts the cab from left to right. The mid-position of switches 23 and 28 is neutral so that it is possible for one carrier rod to remain inactive as the other shifts.

OPERATION The cab orientation is always determined by the point of intersection X of the two rods R and R which point varies as either rod is shifted or as both are shifted. If, therefore, instead of operating only one of the two switches to cause the cab to move vertically or horizontally, both switches are actuated, the point of intersection will move in a diagonal path. Thus with switch 23 on UP, and switch 28 on RIGHT, the cab movement will be a vector resultant whose direction will be at 45, assuming of course, that both rods travel at the same speed. By other switch combinations, the cab movement can be made to take other diagonal directions.

In this way, if there is a vacant cell, say, at the center of the array, the cab starting at the home position of ramp 14 at the lower left corner need not go up and then across to reach the vacant cell, but may be made to travel obliquely toward the cell for a more rapid action. The player can, of course, develop skill in manipulating the switches to effect the most expeditious transfer.

Assuming that a car is to be parked in a vacant cell, the player first positions cab 13 so that it is aligned with ramp 14 at the entrance. The player then pushes the car to be parked up the ramp into the open cab. He then operates switches 23 and 28 until the cab rests in registration with a selected compartment. In order to effect transfer of the car from the cab to the compartment or to effect transfer from the compartment to the cab or to effect transfer from the cab to the street, a control stick mechanism is provided which includes a control stick 40 having three operative positions.

CONTROL STICK MECHANISM The nature of the control stick mechanism and its operation will now be more fully described in connection with FIG. 3, and FIGS. 4 to 7, the latter showing a vertical stack of compartments 11A, 11E and 111, each having a floor f f and f which is pivoted at the front end, each floor having a downwardly extending apron A,,, A A When an actuating tongue is pressed against the apron, as shown in FIG. 7, the associated floor is caused to tilt upwardly to discharge by gravity action a vehicle resting thereon into the cab.

Cab 13 includes a floor 41 which serves as a loose cover for a floor compartment 42 containing the mechanism operated by control stick 40. As shown in FIG. 3, wherein the floor 41 is removed, stick 40 is connected to a crank 42 which is coupled to a tab 43 extending laterally from an actuator plate 43, such that when the stick is lifted, the plate 43 moves toward the left, and when lowered it moves toward the right. Plate 43 is provided with an end tongue 44, which when stick 40 is fully lowered to effect discharge of a car from a cell to the cab, the tongue projects through a slot 45 in the floor compartment to engage the front apron A in the pivoted floor f in cell 11E, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby tipping this floor and causing the car to run down from the cell into the cab.

In order to prevent the car transferred from the cell to the cab from running out of the cab, the control stick mechanism includes a pivoted cradle member 46 having a stop-tooth 47, the cradle member 46 being raised by a projection 48 on actuator plate 43 when the plate is advanced by the control stick, the raised member causing stop-tooth 47 to project upwardly through a notch in cab floor 41 to provide a barrier preventing the car transferred from the cell from running out of the cab, as shown in FIG. 7.

When a car is to be transferred from the cab to the selected compartment, this is done, as shown in FIG. 6, by tilting floor 41 of the cab to cause the car therein to run by gravity into the cell. The manner in which this is accomplished, is also illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein floor 41 is raised at an angle by a rocker element 49 having an extension foot 50, which is engaged by a projection 51 formed on the actuator plate 43 adjacent the end opposite tongue 44.

It will be seen that when control stick 40 is pressed down half-way, as shown in FIG. 6, the actuator plate advances toward the right to cause projection 51 to engage foot 50 and to cause rocker 49 to swing, thereby raising floor 41 at a slope causing the car to run into the compartment.

When control stick 40 is pressed down beyond the halfway point, as shown in FIG. 7, projection 51 passes beyond foot 50 of rocker 49 to release this rocker and to cause cab floor 41 to drop, whereas projection 48 in actuator plate which is spaced inwardly from projection 51 now engages the underside of cradle 46 to raise stoptooth 47, the tongue 44 of the actuator plate at the same time causing floor f of compartment 11E to be raised. Thus a half-down movement of stick 40 effects transfer of the car from the cab to the cell, and a full-down movement of the stick effects transfer of the car from the cell to the cab.

When control stick 40 is raised, a projection 52 adjacent the tongue end of actuator plate 43 which is now caused to advance toward the left, engages the foot 53 of a second pivoted rocker 54 to cause floor 41 of the cab to tilt at an angle discharging the car therein out of the cab, and down chute 14 at the entrance of the garage.

6 This is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6. Obviously the only time stick 40 is raised is when the cab is positioned at the lower left corner of the garage which is the entrance position.

In summary, the control stick mechanism has three operative positions. In the first, a car in the cab which has been carried to an available cell is transferred to this cell. In the second, a car in a cell is transferred to the vacant cab. In the third, at car in the cab at the home station or entrance location is discharged into the street.

SECOND EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 8 to 11, there is shown another embodiment of a toy parking garage whose structure and operation are generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, with certain secondary exceptions.

The garage, in this instance, includes an upstanding rectangular frame 60 which supports a honeycomb structure, generally designated by numeral 61, the structure projecting from the rear of the frame, the open-ended elevator cab 62 operating within the frame boundaries. As in the previous embodiment, the honeycomb is composed of an array of cells or compartments which are dimensioned to accommodate a vehicle, such as a toy automobile V. Four vertical rows of cells are provided, the midpoint on each row being indicated by an arrow 63 marked on the upper horizontal beam of the frame. Cab 62 is provided at its upper end with an arrow 64 to facilitate registration of the cab with a selected row of cells by aligning arrow 64 with one of arrows 63.

To effect admission of a vehicle into the cab or to discharge of a vehicle from the cab into the street, there is provided an entrance-exit ramp 65, which is aligned with the left row of cells at the ground level, whereby a vehicle to be parked may be pushed up the ramp into the cab when the cab is at ground level, or a vehicle may be discharged from the cab to roll down the ramp into the street.

Cab 62 is supported in part by a first carrier rod R which extends horizontally through the cab. The end portions of rod R pass through elongated vertical slots in frame 60, one slot 66 being visible in FIG. 8. Pinions 67 and 68 are mounted on these end portions, the pinions engaging racks 69 and 70 secured to the frame in parallel relationship to the vertical slots, thereby providing a vertical trackway for rod R Also supporting cab 62 is a second carrier rod R, which extends vertically through the cab, the ends of this rod passing through elongated horizontal slots in frame 60, one slot 71 being visible in FIG. 8. Pinions 72 and 73 are mounted on these end portions, the pinions engaging racks 74 and 75, respectively, which provide a horizontal trackway for rod R To move rod R along the vertical trackway, it is connected to an endless cable 76 having a helical spring 77 interposed therein to maintain the cable under tension. The cable is supported between an upper pulley 78 and a lower sheave 79, keyed to the shaft of a reversible motor 80. To move rod R along the horizontal trackway, an endless cable 81 is provided having a tension spring 82 interposed therein, this cable extending between an idler pulley 83 mounted freely on the shaft of motor and a sheave 84 keyed to the shaft of a reversible motor 85.

Reversible motor 80 is operated by a battery (not shown) which is connected in one polarity to the motor through a switch 86 whose actuating arm extends from a console 87 on the base of frame 60, which battery is connected to the motor in the opposing polarity by switch 88. Hence when switch 86 is closed, rod R moves up the vertical trackway to shift the cab 62 in this direction and when switch 88 is closed, the cab is shifted in the down direction.

Reversible motor is similarly operated by switches 89 and 90 so that when switch 89 is operated, rod R moves to the left along the horizontal trackway to shift the cab accordingly, and when switch 90 is operated, the cab shifts to the left. Hence switch 89, alone, produces cab motion toward 270 in the circular scale, switch 90, alone, produces cab motion toward 90, switch 86, alone, produces cab motion toward and switch 88, alone, produces cab motion toward 180.

When, however, both motors are simultaneously operated cab 62 moves diagonally in a path whose angle depends on which combination of switches are actuated. Thus if switches 89 and 86 are simultaneously actuated, the cab will move toward 315 in a circular scale; if switches 89 and 88 are simultaneously actuated, the cab will move toward 225; if switches 90 and 86 are simultaneously actuated, the cab will move toward 95; and finally if switches 90 and 88 are simultaneously actuated, the cab will move toward 135.

Thus the operature has a range of permutations in cab motion which greatly enhances the pleasure of operation.

In the case of the elevator cab shown in FIG. 1, the control stick therefor has three operative positions, one to transfer a car from the cab into a cell, a second to discharge a car from the cab down the exit ramp and a third to transfer a car from a cell into the cab. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, these three functions are carried out by tWo control sticks, 91 and 92. The upper stick 91, when lifted, produces an IN action to transfer a car from the cab into a cell aligned with the cab, and when depressed produces an EXIT action, discharging the car from the cab down exit ramp 65. The lower stick 92, when depressed, produces an OUT action transferring a car from the cell into the cab.

The manner in which these control sticks operate will be explained in connection with FIGS. and 11. Control stick 91 acts as a crank which is coupled to a sliding plate 93 on the floor of cab 62. When stick 91 is lifted, plate 93 is caused to shift to the left (FIG. 11), thereby causing an upright triangular tab 94 on the plate to engage and swing a rocker 95 which then acts to lift one end of the floor 96 of the cab to cause the car therein to roll out into the cell. When stick 91 is depressed, plate 93 shifts to the right to cause a tab 97 thereon to engage and swing a rocker 98 which lifts the other end of floor 96 at an angle causing a car thereon to roll toward the exit.

Stick 92 acts as a crank with respect to an upper plate 99, which is slidable over the lower plate 93. Plate 92 is provided with a tongue 99A which is normally retracted, but which when stick 92 is depressed, projects toward the right through a slot in the end of the cab. Tongue 99A engages a front apron on the pivoted floor in the cell in the manner described in connection with the previous embodiment to cause the floor to tilt in a direction causing a car in the cell to roll into the cab.

To prevent the car transferred from the cell to the cab, from overshooting the cab, a pivoted barrier member 100 is provided, which is engaged and causes to swing upwardly by a tab 101 when plate 99 is shifted to the right, the raised barrier preventing the car transferred into the cab from running out of the cab.

What I claim is:

1. A toy parking garage for toy vehicles, comprising: (A) an erect honeycomb structure formed by an array of box-like cells held within a frame for accommodating said toy vehicles; and (B) an elevator system supported within said frame for transporting vehicles to and from said cells, said system including,

(a) an openended cab to accommodate a vehicle, (b) first motorized means to shift the position of said cab in the up-down direction to scan said cells vertically, said means including a carrier rod extending horizontally through the cab and shiftable in the up-down direction within said frame in a plane parallel to said cells,

(0) second motorized means to shift the position of said cab in the left-right direction to scan said cells horizontally, and

(d) separate control means for said first and second motorized means whereby these means may 5 be operated individually or concurrently to cause the cab to travel vertically, horizontally, or diagonally at the election of the player.

2. A garage as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second motorized means includes a second carrier rod extending vertically through said cab and shiftable in the left-right direction within said frame in another plane parallel to said array of cells.

3. A garage as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cells 1 each includes a floor pivoted at the front thereof and provided with a front apron which when depressed causes the floor to tilt upwardly to discharge a vehicle from said cell.

4. A garage as set forth in claim 3, wherein said cab includes a control stick mechanism having an actuator plate provided with a tongue which engages said apron when said stick is operated to advance said plate toward said cell.

5. A garage as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cab includes a loose floor and a control stick mechanism adapted in one position to tip the fioor at an angle discharging a vehicle in the cab into a cell, and in another position to tip the floor at an angle discharging a vehicle into the street.

6. A garage as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second rod is operatively coupled to said second motor means by a continuous cable connected to both ends of said second rod.

7. A garage as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means for the first motorized means is constituted by a first pair of switches, one functioning to cause the cab to move up and the other to cause the cab to move down the honeycomb structure, and wherein said control means for the second motorized means is constituted by a second pair of switches, one functioning to cause the cab to move to the right and the other to cause the cab to move to the left, where by simultaneously operating a switch in one pair and a switch in the other, the cab is caused to move diagonally.

4 8. A garage as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrier rod has pinions secured to the ends thereof which engage a pair of parallel racks secured to said frame forming a vertical trackway.

9. A garage as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second carrier rod has pinions secured to the ends thereof which engage a pair of parallel racks secured to said frame forming a horizontal trackway.

10. A garage as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cab includes a loose floor and a mechanism having two control sticks one of which serves in a first operative position to transfer a car from the cab into a selected cell and in a second operative position to transfer a car from said cell into said cab, said other stick having an operative position effecting transfer of a car from the cab to an exit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,288,567 12/1918 Hall. 1,554,584 9/1925 Lake. 3,253,364 5/1966 Hinkson 46-240 FOREIGN PATENTS 701,352 12/1953 Great Britain.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner C. R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

